Stuck In Virginia

[Gene_S 93]

Hi All,

The wife and I came to her brothers for a week away from home during Christmas here to Virginia Beach. When we went to leave in the am on Saturday our truck would not start. It had rained pretty hard with alot of wind on Friday night. The truck cranks over, has spark and is getting fuel. We had the truck towed to local shop and they looked at it from noon till 5 pm with no luck. Now we have to wait till Monday morning for them to look at it again. I'm hoping they figure it out before noon so we can make it home before midnite.

Anyways, is there any auto mechanics on here with any ideas that I could pass along to the garage if need be?

Thanks,

Gene (Really bummed out in VA)

[C-Series14 15]

How about vehicle description, miles, history, etc.

[rmaynard 14,897]

A description with make and model would be nice. However I used to have the same problem with my 2003 Chevy Astro. This is a V-6 with the distributor in the back. After a hard rain, I would always have to remove the front passenger seat to get the engine cover out, remove the distributor cap and rotor, and dry it all with a hair dryer. Finally after doing this 3 times and changing the cap twice, I found a cap that has not allowed water to get in. Hope the mechanic is smart enough to look for water or condensation inside the cap if it has one.

It is obvious that water or dampness has something to do with the problem. Being inside the shop all weekend may just dry it out so that Monday morning it will start and they really won't be able to diagnosis it. They should be able to do a computer scan and see if any codes have registered.

Bob

[buckrancher 2,675]

I would check the plastic drive lug in the distrubtor rotor to see if it has

sheered off

sorry about your bad luck hope they find the problem

[rickv1957 70]

I aways hated when traveling and break down!,hope you get going!,Rick

[Gene_S 93]

Sorry I forgot the important stuff...

2000 GMC Sonoma 4X4 4.3 V6

I pulled the distributor cap and looked inside and it all looked dry, but maybe it was!. I'm so frustrated with this whole situation. I looked into a U-Haul with a car dolly to get home and it is $900 not including gas!

I'm just ready to be home.

Gene

[C-Series14 15]

Strange, if you have spark AND fuel, all is needed is air. Do you here the fuel pump kick on when you turn the key? I have basically the same vehicle, I have a 1999 S-10 ZR2 with the same engine.

[bdanie7 0]

Unfortunately, just because there is fuel doesnt mean there is enough. Chevys have to have full pressure to run. If its minumum pressure is 60 psi then 58 psi won't get it.

I have run into several, including my own, that were below min. specs on the pressure and would not run.

Cant diagnose them by description, but it has been my experience on several chevys, that fuel pressure has been a common issue.

[C-Series14 15]

I agree, I am wondering about his fuel pump...friend at work had the same type of problem. When mine would not start, the fuel pump was bad. Drove it to the store, came back out, and it didn't do the normal whine when you turn on the key. Replaced the pump and that was it...

[stevebo-(Moderator) 8,040]

I think all gave good advise. I hope you get it going tomorrow. In the mean time enjoy Virginia Beach.. I can think of a lot worse places to be in December. :notworthy:

[tgranthamfd 28]

I had some friends that happened to driving in huricane season at Corpus Cristi, There only problem ended up being a drownded air filter, put a new one in, finished their vacation, and made it home without any other issues. They were driving a 2002 nissan frontier. Wish you the best.

[wheelhorsec85 5]

if you find that is is the fuel pump , make sure you change the fuel filter as well . as a matter of fact id start there first as it could be clogged . also you copuld have water is your gas and a lot of it is no good . and or bad gas . now you may be getting spark at the cap , but is the spark going through the coil wire ? now if they change your fuel pump make sure they put new gas in . do not use the old gas . i hope this helps out for you p.s. fuel pressure is vital like a few guys are saying here . also hot spark is vital . hope this helps jeff

[stevasaurus 22,230]

Gene...got the same vortex 6 and year..2000 in the Sierra 1/2 ton truck.

2 winters ago started running rough...had done nothing but oil and filter changes..

Anyway...new plugs, wires (could be what you got) and out the door...you went from winter to kinda summer...bad gas, wrong gas, the above...I just took mine to the dealer...much bucks but no problems since. Like Stevebo said...could be in a worse spot. Sorry, I know that is not what you wanted to hear...but I bet it is the truth. You know...we used to tune up a vehicle every 10,000 miles...now it is 70,000 to 100,000 miles. :notworthy:

[Gene_S 93]

Thanks for all the ideas guys!

After much thought and me needing to get back to work because the other guy that covers Indiana with me is on vacation this week, my brother and his son are driving all night to be here at 8 am with a car dolly. I have a bad feeling the garage wont find the problem after spending 5 hours saturday with no luck. Nothing worse I hate is being 800 miles from my tools...

You know the truck has 127,000 with the origanal fuel pump (fuel pump comes on like usual), cap, rotor, and wires. We changed the plugs about 5,000 miles before our last vacation.

We'll get this thing home and get her fixed. Nothing worse then being in a town where you don't know the local garage!

You're very right Stevebo it could be much worse. On our way here during the snow storm last Saturday, Garmin took us accross the mountain on US-250 in WV into VA. Beautiful scenery after getting 2 feet of snow just not much on making good time.

Thanks again for all the good advice!

Thanks,

Gene

[jusjeepn 59]

Gene, Stay there! We got a bit of snow today. At the new house I got about 4". At the old house (just 6 miles north), we got 6". :notworthy:

[tophatbufflo 2]

Dodgr has an idle soliniod that loses memory and to to start it you hold it to the floor when cranking til it starts then drive it around for awhile and turn AC off and on or defrost off and on to reset solinoid Good luck finding what ever the problem is.

[rmaynard 14,897]

I hope you let us know what the problem was when you finally get it home.

Since the problem arose AFTER the rain and wind, I'm still putting my money on the cap & rotor. The Vortec V6 in my Astro has been a bear in the rain until I replaced the cap and rotor for the third time. And VA Beach has a lot of salt air. Had a minor situation at the Outer Banks, NC this summer after a storm. It started, but with difficulty.

Best of luck to you.

Bob

[gwgdog66 23]

Just a thought. My 87 GMC acted like this when it got wet or any kind of moisture. The Positive battery cable running to the starter had rubbed the inulation off the cable, and would short out on the transmission cooler line. Replaced the cable and no more problems. 365,000 miles on it now.

[rocking 416 1]

4.3 its probaly the fuel presure regulator Remove the top half of the intake. its the fuel injection system also known as the spider becuase it looks like one i have taking them apart an cleaned them with carb clean an light very ligtly blew on the injectors with compressed air an they ran fine after that. but those vortec style engines are known to have fuel systen problems especially with high milage hope this helped out

[Gene_S 93]

Ok here's the verdic... Embarrasing as it may be...

My brother and his son showed up at 10 am. We went to the garage to pick the truck up and they pulled the drive shaft for me. The mechanic decided to try to start the truck and it started but it was running very rough... I got in the truck and put it in four wheel drive so I could drive it onto the dolly. We straped it down and headed to Wabash Indiana. We droped the truck off at the GM dealership I like to use at 1 am.

I called the garage on my way to my next customer today at 1:06 pm and they said it was the next vehicle to go in the shop. At 2:31 pm my cell phone rings and it was the dealer and it was done!

The reason it was running rough was the garage in Virginia forgot to put the plug wire on number 6 cylinder. The dealer changed the distributor cap and rotar like I should of done my self... They also put a new battery in, said it had a weak cell.

Anyone ever pulled a vehicle 800 miles home just to change a $30 dollar part to fix it? I feel like such a dumb ass!!!

Another thing to add... U-Haul "will not" rent a car dolly to anyone using a Ford Explorer to pull it! My brother has a V8 Explorer and it done a great job by the way! He picked the dolly up in Fort Wayne with his sons Dodge truck and took it home and hooked it on the Explorer and made the trip. U-Haul said they have had several lawsuits involving the explorer.

Thanks,

Gene :WRS:

[C-Series14 15]

Glad it worked out. A bad cell will do some interesting things....Cap and rotor, well, it can be a show stopper! :thumbs:

[HorseFixer 2,012]

Anyone ever pulled a vehicle 800 miles home just to change a $30 dollar part to fix it? I feel like such a dumb ass!!!

Thanks,

Gene

No! Gene But don't feel bad, I have had my fair share of Dumb Ass Attacks

The main thing is your safe, at home now, and no one is hurt! Things can always be worse! Glad ya made it home! :wwp:

[rmaynard 14,897]

Since the problem arose AFTER the rain and wind, I'm still putting my money on the cap & rotor. The Vortec V6 in my Astro has been a bear in the rain until I replaced the cap and rotor for the third time. And VA Beach has a lot of salt air.

Bob

Glad you're home safe.

I guess I win the prize for knowing what your problem was.

Happy New Year.

Bob

[Gene_S 93]

Yes Duke being safe is a very important thing... Being home is great!!! I love going on vacation... But I like coming home...

Bob, Sorry I didn't say anything in my last message but yes you did win the prize... What is the prize tho??? You need a set of thumb screws for a round hood???

My biggest problem was I was so ready to come home I was willing to pay some one to fix it... I've worked on cars since I was 14 or so... My older brother was a Ford machanic in Bluffton IN for 15 years and I always tinkered on cars with him or my other brother who helped me out this time... If I would of posted this on Saturday instead of Sunday I'd of had plenty of ideas to do it my self. I posted at 8:33 am and three people commented with in one hour... THATS COOL!!!

Thanks,

Gene :WRS:

[Suburban 550 28]

Gene, good to see you made it home safe and sound. As for the vehicle, good to see it back up and runnin'. Too bad they didn't find the problem there instead of having to tow it back.